Do Presidents Have Any Control Over the Economy?

The platforms of both major political parties are based on the belief that the actions of presidents have a direct impact on the U.S. and global economy. But is that really so? Of all the issues to be discussed during presidential campaigns, none dominates the debate more than the economy. Presidents and would-be presidents insist that they have the power to create jobs, drive growth and spur investment on both Wall Street and Main Street. On this episode, we hear a contrary view. Our guest is financial adviser and author Jonathan Citrin, who makes the argument that we wildly over-inflate the ability of the president to influence the economy. He speaks of ''the myth of the economic commander-in-chief.'' Listen to a lively debate about whether there's really any correlation or causation between presidential actions and economic performance. And find out why Citrin believes that ''things are more out of control than we think.''